Brush and broom



1943- i s. STEINMETZ 1 2,326,576

BRUSH AND BROOM Filed March 7, 1940 IICIVENTOR SAMUEL ST'El/VMETZ Patented Aug; 10, 1943 UNITED, S AT s :2 cl ims. (01.. ts-#2 414 'Iliis invention relates to new and useful .improvements in brushes and-brooms and has particular relation to anovel construction of brushes and brooms and particularly the surface engag ing .or brushing elements thereof where the brushes and broomslof the invention have a long useful life.

The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein satisfactory embodiments of the invention are shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to .the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. I

In the drawing: 7 l

Fig. l is a top plan View showing a brush made in accordance with the invention;

Fig; 2 is a View partly in section and partly in side elevation of the brush of Fig. 1.;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of but on a smaller scale;

Fig. 4 isa transverse sectional view through the brush showing portions; only .of the brushing members .otFig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the brush; and

Fig} 6 is .a view similar to Fig. .5 but showing the brushing members after they have been treated as will be disclosed.

Referring in detail to the drawing the brush generally designated 19 includes a back Hin the form of a block or wood although it will be understood that this construction is not 'essential. Back i is provided in its underside with aseries of longitudinally extending grooves l2 each recei-ving a scrubbing r brushing member l3 later to be described in detail. Additionally the back in its forward edge is provided with a groove I4 receiving an edge portion of astrip l adapted to be used as a squeegee. Strip I5 is secured with its said edge portion in the mentioned groove by any suitable means as for example, the nails or brads l6.

A metal scraper I? is secured to the rear edge or to any other convenient part of the back H as by means of screws [8. This scraper is to be used for the scraping loose of chewing gum and the like from the surfaces of floors and the like. A recess or socket I9 is provided in the back for the reception of the lower end of a handle (not shown) although it will be clear that some other the brush ner. moved and the sponge may be removed forgWasharrangement for the securing of a handle to the brush maybe made, as convenient; V

vIn its upper surface the back {I is provided with a longitudinally extending. channel 201'and secured to the ends .of the bac'k'at the ends of said channel are 'c'lips'z jl fastened as by screws 2.2. These .clips extend above the upper surface of the back and have their upperends turned inwardly to provide hook-like portions .23 located over the back. Disposed against the upper forward side of the. back is an element 24. comprising a piece of sponge rubbenj f y Element 124 is secured to the back in. almanner, to permit of the ready removal of .the'e'lementior replacement or the likeand tothis end a securing strip 25 is provided. Securingstnp.

25 comprises an inner elongated element '26 through which nails-or brads Z'l'ha've been driven and over .such strip 2-5 and the heads .of the nails 2.1 is disposed a metal covering 23 whereby the nails are secured .in .place and' whereby. to give the device a finished appearanca r In its end portions the securing .s'trip 251s provided with openings, 29 adapted to cooperate with thehook-likeportions 23 of the clips '2 for the purpose of temporarily securing the strip in place. From thedrawing it wiltbie under-5 stood that the sponge rubber element'zilis :di-sposed against the upper side .of the back H with a portion of such element overlying the channel I .Zil. 'Thereafter the securing strip 25 is disposed I against such portion of the sponge and pressed downward-1y with. the opening 2 9 in one 'of its ends engaged with the adjacent hook-like portion 23' of one clip .21. Thereafter the securing strip is workedabout until its other .end is "under the hook-like portion-23 of the other clip 2 l and the securing strip is then. released 1 TheYspongein attempting to expand'to mal size will raise the securing strip'so that the opening 29 in its said other end'willreceive the hook-like portion 23 of the other clip- 2|. Atthis time the nails 21 have penetrated through the sponge and the points of such nails are 10,-. v cated in the channel 20 as shown best in Figs. .2

and 4. To remove the sponge from the brush the action of applying the securing strip 25in I I place is reversed. First'one end ofthestrip is depressed and worked sideways from under the hook with which it has been engaged and'then the other end of the strip is'shifted in like mane Thereafter the securing strip is'simply reing or for replacement .or the like.

' to extend crosswise or in directions intersecting the direction in which the cords'3l of the adjav gum 32 being vulcanized into a mass a tough resilient structure is provided which is excellent:

for my purpose.

In making the brush the folded upon itself and its bight portion pressed into one of thegrooves I2. This process is re peated untileach groove l2 has a member [3 therein and then nails or the like 33 are driven through the back andfthe folded portions of the members securing the latter to. the back. It is noted that the strip have their free end or edge portions extendingbelow the lower surface of the back H and such portions of the strips are slitted inwardly from their free ends.

'Theseslitsprovide tooth like portions 34 (see particularly Figs. 2 and 5) and it is noted particularly'in Fig. 5 that the slits are so made that the teeth of onelayer of a folded strip overlap the slits used in making the teeth of the other fold of such strip. Thus there are no aligned spaces between the teeth of the members and so an even cleaning or. scrubbing .job maybe accomplished usingthe 5- brush; .As the. strips are cut from a mass or larger strip lot the laminated material the rubbergumwhencut draws back from the edge ofthe cut leaving exposed the ends of the cords. These ends designated 35 in the drawing enter into any brushing operation using th brush as they serve to brush up the'very fine dust which otherwise might escape under the teeth or fingers Fig. 5. shows the teeth 34the way they appear inja newbrush. Fig. 6 shows the appearance oithe teeth after thebrush has been wet and while yet Wet or after they have been treated aswill now berjdescribe'd. After the strips have beenslit' to form theteeth 34 and preferably after the strips have been secured in the grooves or channels in the back the strips are treated by immersionxin a solution comprising Epsom salts vinegar and chemical water. This last is a solution used generally for bleaching and the like and itsactive ingredients are'so dium hyposchloride two and three-quarter per cent and sodium carbonate four and one-quarter per cent. The remainder, the inert ingredient is water.

laminated strip is cent layers extend. The cords and the rubber The effect of soaking the strips in such a solution is shown in Fig. 6. Ther it will be noted that the teeth designated 36 are all twisted out of alignment with the strip portions with which they are integral. The length of the soaking operation depends to some extent on the strength of the solution used as if the solution is made relatively strong the soaking need take place for only a short time whereas when a weak solution is used the soaking must take place for a longer period of time. The action of the solution is expedited when the solution is maintained warm I or preferably hot.

In Fig. 6 it is noted that the teeth 35 are curled out of the plane of the remaining portions of the strips and while the drawing hows this curling as substantially uniform in actual practice this is not always the case. The teeth extending to some extent transversely of the brush make a better; and for scrubbing purposes a thicker or moresolid floor engaging portion for the brush. When the brushing members are wet with water only they twist or distort somewhat as shown but return to substantially the positions of Fig. 5

when they again dry: I attribute this distortion effect to th cords in the structure.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a brush, a back, a series of brushing members, said members each comprising a vulcaniz ed strip of laminated material including layers of rubber gum and layers of cords, said layers of cords arranged with the cord of one layer transverse of those of the adjacent layer, means securing a longitudinal edge of each of said members to said back, said members slit transversely inwardly from their opposite longitudinal edges whereby such opposite edge poi tions comprise relatively movable'teeth-like portions, and said teeth-like portions being curled out of the plane of the portions of the membersby which they are carried by chemical treatment of said members.

2. In a brush, a back comprising a block-like body having a series of grooves opening through its lower side, a series of brushing members each comprising a vulcanized strip including rubber and fibrous layers, each of said members folded upon itself substantially along' its longitudinal center line andhaving its bight portion disposed in one of said grooves, each of said members slit inwardly from its-opposite longitudinal edges with the slits in one edge in alternate relation to those in the other edge, and means in said body and vpassing through the received portions of themembers immediately outwardly of their ioldsand securing the members with their bight portions in said grooves.

' SAMUEL STEINMETZ. 

